And Then There Were... Eight?
by silence ephemeral
Summary: Well, it's pretty much a huge tangle of emotions; i'd say a love pentagon, but it's more of a love octagon... but not really... let's call it a love 'shape'. this love 'shape' involves Hermione, Dean, Harry, Ginny, Seamus, Neville, Ron, and of course, Sn
1. Default Chapter

A/n: Okay everyone, I, as some of you know I am a fanfic virgin. So, I'm gonna ask that there be no flame-age of this story, because even though it may not come out the way it's supposed to, it has its interesting bits. Now just sit back and relax… wait, I take that back. What?? Sorry… oh yes, and I apologize in advance for introducing everyone's feelings so … abruptly. Oh right, gotta disclaim-ify. Checko.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters, I'm not J.K. Rowling (although it'd be cool if I was), and yada yada yada… you understand. On with the show!…?  
  
Chapter 1: Early Morning Escapades  
  
It was just after 12:45 am, and Harry was lying in bed, very distressed and tormenting himself over the day's events; or lack thereof. I can't believe I forgot our anniversary! He thought to himself. I really should have known better. He kicked his bedpost with the heel of his foot, breaking the silence of the 6th year boys dormitory, and nearly waking Ron in the process. However, Ron simply grunted and rolled over onto his side. That's it, Harry decided, I need to take a walk. Hauling himself out of bed, and putting on his slippers and Griffindor housecoat, he made his way over to the door, and closed it gently behind him.  
  
The upper halls of the Griffindor dormitories were eerily silent. Almost silent enough to make him think that something out of the ordinary was going on. Oh well, Harry thought, nothing'd be happening around here. And at this hour? It would be unthinkable … but maybe I'll go and check on Ginny just to make sure. As he made his way to her room, he secretly hoped that she was still awake … it would give them some time together, and him the chance to apologize. When he reached her door, he peeked carefully inside, just to make sure no one else was awake, so he wouldn't get in any trouble. And sure enough, they were all asleep - but so was Ginny. Damn. He thought … but that didn't keep him from going to her bed and sitting down. "Damn you're beautiful." He whispered, lying down beside her. "I know you can't hear me right now … and even though you can't speak to me, that's fine with me too … as long as we're together, it doesn't matter whether you speak or not … I just love being with you." He brushed a strand of hair away from her face, letting his hand rest on the pillow beside her brilliant red hair. "I love you." He whispered. "I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I just don't know how … maybe it's better that you can't hear me, because I don't know what I'd do if you said you didn't love me too. I don't think I could possibly bear it. So I just wanted to let you know … because I do love you. I love you the way you look at me every morning, and the way you look at me every night. I think it's safe to say I just love the way you look at me. And I love your eyes. And I love your cute little nose … and your lips, the way they brush across mine … oh Ginny, I just love you." Harry kissed her softly on the lips. "Now don't you go anywhere, Ginny Weasley. I'll be back for you in the morning." He got up and walked to the door, pausing once more to say 'I love you'. Smiling, and closing the door, he left.  
  
When he was about halfway down the corridor, Ginny, in the bedroom he had just left, turned onto her side and muttered something into her pillow that sounded strangely like 'I love you Harry.'  
  
  
  
*  
  
  
  
When Harry returned to his room, he was slightly surprised to find Ron waiting up for him.  
  
"And where were you?" He asked, his arms crossed, and a suspicious expression on his face.  
  
"Oh, just went for a stroll … couldn't sleep."  
  
"I'm so sure. You went to see Ginny, didn't you?"  
  
"… No…" Harry said guiltily, getting into bed.  
  
"Oh c'mon, you can't lie to me. I know you did." Said Ron, glaring.  
  
"Oh all right then. You found me out. I went to see Ginny."  
  
"Bloody hell, Harry! I didn't need to know that! She's my little sister!"  
  
"wha-?! But Ron, you said yourself that you knew!"  
  
"Yeah, well … I was hoping it wasn't true." He stammered. "Listen, I'm okay with you dating my little sister-" he winced at the thought (obviously he wasn't okay with it), "but I don't need to know when you guys … you know…"  
  
"What? Oh-!" said Harry, a look of realization on his face. "Oh! Ron, don't worry, she was asleep."  
  
"HARRY!! WHAT?! That's considered RAPE, y'know!"  
  
"Oh Ron, I didn't do that. I just … well, I was just talking to her."  
  
"But she was sleeping."  
  
"Yeah, I know." Ron eyed him quizzically. "It's just easier when she can't hear me, that's all." He said, blushing ever so slightly. It's times like these that he was grateful for the lack of light in their room.  
  
"Okay." Said Ron. "I never did understand how your crazy mind works." He got back under the covers, muttering something about how he liked to actually have people talk to him too, but was quickly asleep. Harry followed suit, and was soon lying back on his bed, twitching as his dreams took him away.  
  
But not everyone was snug in their beds. Oh no. Over in the teacher's wing of the school, things were getting a little out of hand.  
  
*  
  
"Oh no you don't walk away from me! I wasn't finished with you yet!"  
  
"Well I was finished with you!" Professor Snape yelled as he whirled around to face Professor McGonnagal. She took a deep breath.  
  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout. What I meant to say was this is a very important matter. Something we can't just walk away from. If we turn our backs now, we may never prevail."  
  
"That's very true." Squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick from an armchair in the corner. A murmur of agreement swept through the room as the professors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry all whispered to each other. The staff meeting finally seemed to be getting somewhere.  
  
As everyone was looking at him, Severus Snape slowly returned to his seat. "I just don't think that there is enough evidence to prove anything yet. He may not even be in the country." The Potions Master tried to make his point clear. "I think we're just worrying about nothing."  
  
"Lord Voldemort is never nothing." said a voice from behind a desk. Many flinched at the mention of His name, but remained quiet. Albus Dumbledore twirled his chair around to face the rest of the teachers. "You should be a little more careful with your choice of words, Severus. As I know what you meant, I shall not hold it against you, but in the future … we mustn't have any misunderstandings."  
  
"Yes sir … I see what you mean … " said Snape, rather monotonously. The room was silent for a few moments before Professor Trelawney spoke.  
  
"Well, it's getting rather late. I foresee many tired faces tomorrow morning."  
  
"I quite agree!" Squeaked Professor Flitwick again.  
  
"Alright everyone. We shall retire to our quarters. Tomorrow is a new day." Said Dumbledore. And with that, everyone left.  
  
*  
  
The next morning, Ginny and Hermione walked into the Great Hall to find their friends already there. However, as the two were only at the door, they continued their conversation.  
  
"I mean, I love him. I just don't know how to tell him." Said Ginny on the way to the table.  
  
"I'm sure it won't be a big problem," said Hermione with a huge smile on her face, "when the time is right, it'll be easy."  
  
"Yeah, well you've already told Dean that you love him. It's already out in the open for you two." Hermione giggled.  
  
"Yes…" she said, still smiling, "I suppose it is." They sat down at their seats, Hermione beside Dean, and Ginny beside Harry.  
  
"What were you two taking about?" asked Seamus, noticing the looks on their faces.  
  
"Oh, nothing that concerns you, Seamus." Hermione turned to Dean and greeted him with a kiss. Silently, Seamus growled and returned to his cereal.  
  
"Good morning sweetheart." Hermione cooed in Dean's ear.  
  
" 'Morning honey. You look wonderful as always."  
  
"Aww … you're so sweet." She said, kissing him again. Seamus glared at them both, and put down his spoon with a little extra force than was needed.  
  
"Excuse me, but some of us are trying to eat here." He seemed rather irritated.  
  
"Oh … uh, sorry Seamus." Said Dean, who was somewhat surprised by the sudden outburst. "I didn't know it bothered you."  
  
"Well, sometimes a man just … just needs to eat, okay?" Seamus replied.  
  
"I completely agree." Said Ron, eyeing Dean dangerously. "Go get a room if you're going to be like this." On second thought, don't … if you did that, you'd be able to … I don't want to think about it. Think about the food, Ron … fill mind with food thoughts. Mmm, breakfast … lift sausage to mouth … chew … swallow. Well done, Ron … I really have the gist of this … there's no way I can mess this on up! Just then, as he reached for his orange juice, he knocked the syrup over, which, in turn, spilled all over the table. "Aaahh!" yelled Ron. Everyone turned to look at him. "I can't-! I hate this!! Why?!? AAHHH!!!" It appeared that Ron was having a temper tantrum.  
  
"Uhh … Ron," said Harry, "just take a deep breath … it's alright…" luckily, Ron took Harry's advice, and finally clamed down, resting his head in his hands. Harry looked at him with a puzzled expression, then, shaking his head, turned to Ginny and kissed her gently. "Good morning, Gin."  
  
"Hi Harry." She smiled. "What was that for?"  
  
"Well, I realized that I hadn't done that yet, and luckily, your brother wasn't looking. I trust you slept well?"  
  
"Wonderfully."  
  
Just then, Neville Longbottom entered the room. "Hey guys! Look at what I found - AAH!" he said as he tripped over his robes, and fell to the floor.  
  
"OH, Neville, are you okay?" asked Hermione. He got up and dusted himself off.  
  
"Here," said Seamus, "you can sit beside me." Neville smiled.  
  
"Thanks, mate." He said as he sat down.  
  
"So what did you find then?" asked Dean.  
  
"Oh yes! This morning, when I put on my slippers, in the toes were your cards … you now, those muggle sports cards you collect that went missing the other week?"  
  
"Oh!" said Hermione to Dean, "your football cards!"  
  
"Right! They've been gone so long I almost forgot that I ever had them! Thanks man." Replied Dean as Neville passed over his cards.  
  
"Well, somehow they turned up in my slippers. Don't ask me how, they were just there. Looks like someone, or something is returning our belongings. I found my watch there too."  
  
"Maybe my slippers will turn up somewhere then!" said Ginny hopefully. "I lost them the other day. I woke up in the morning, and they just weren't there."  
  
"Well, we can always get you new slippers." Said Harry easily as he poured himself a glass of milk. She smiled at him. Things were going well this morning.  
  
*  
  
Neville looked across the table t Harry and Ginny. They're so cute together he thought to himself … then again, so are Dean and Hermione. Funny how the two muggle-borns wound up together. I guess they can relate to each other a little more easily though…  
  
"Pass the bacon, eh?" said Seamus, pulling Neville back to reality. Oh sweet Seamus, of course I'll pass you the bacon, love. For you, I'd pass Potions with an A+…  
  
"Sure thing, Finn." Neville replied as he passed the bacon platter. Seamus looked at him with a friendly smile and warm eyes.  
  
"Thanks." He looked away, leaving Neville to his thoughts. Well, he's being friendly this morning then, isn't he?… he finished his toast and jam, and left the Great Hall with the others, off to Herbology with Hufflepuff. But for the rest of the morning, he couldn't get the thought out of his mind that maybe, there was a chance for him. 


	2. Seamus Hears Voices

AN: well hello there my darling readers, how are you this fine day?  
  
me, i'm wonderful, thanks for asking. but anyway, this is a somewhat  
  
short chapter, but by the pressure of a *whimper* select few, i've  
  
posted what i have, and therefore, here it is. oh yes, and just to let  
  
you know, i've got this thing with capitalizing letters... i just don't  
  
do it. so, that is why beginnings of sentences et al are not upper  
  
case. oh, those two words remind of little grades... the days when i  
  
didn't have to worry about things... *sigh*.... yeah, but on occasion,  
  
i make names capitals, so just wait. i'll surprise you.  
  
Disclaimer: i don't own any of these characters. unless of course, i  
  
make a new character in the middle of a chapter, then i own that  
  
character. unless of course it's a character from someone else's story  
  
(that's a song! hee hee! oops...) but anywho... damn. just read.  
  
  
  
Chapter 2: Seamus Hears Voices  
  
The remainder of the day, however, passed rather uneventfully. Sure  
  
double Potions with the Slytherins was the low point in it all, the  
  
tremendous butt of the universe, the bane of all their existences, but  
  
hey, you can't have everything. And that's exactly how Seamus Finnigan  
  
wanted to feel. But he couldn't. About anything.  
  
As he got into his bed that night, he just couldn't help but notice  
  
that Dean was nowhere to be seen. Probably with her he thought, his  
  
expression turning into a slight grimace. What can she possibly give  
  
him that I can't? Well, the correct reproductive organs for one. Oy!  
  
Sod off! I wasn't thinking to you, alright? So just... be quiet. Or  
  
go away. I can't go away. I'm your inner voice! Yeah? Well i hate  
  
you. Always coming up with the right answers. You know, sometimes a  
  
man just needs to fantasize. So stay out of it. Oh but Seamus, you  
  
need to realize that he just won't go for you! He wants a family. And  
  
as i said before, you haven't got the stuff to make the other half of a  
  
baby! I mean... hey, if all it took was sperm goin' at it, then the  
  
human race would be bloody overpopulated. Nay? He wants a woman. And  
  
he's got Hermione. He's as straight as a post, get it through the  
  
other half of you! Seamus grunted, and pulled the covers up over his  
  
head, as though this would solve his problem. A moment later, someone  
  
peered through his curtains. He looked up at the shadowy figure.  
  
"Oh. It's just you." he said to Neville, who was all ready for bed  
  
in his blue teddy bear pyjamas (AN 'pajamas'?) and his... fuzzy pink  
  
slippers.  
  
"Yeah. Uh, I heard you talking to someone. Everything okay?"  
  
Neville replied, a look of concern on his face. Oh Neville... not  
  
now.... just go...  
  
"It's nothing." Seamus said shortly. Neville was stunned by the tone  
  
of his voice.  
  
"Oh. Sorry I bothered you..." he said, turning away from him. Damn  
  
it...  
  
"No Neville. I'm sorry I didn't mean it like that. Please come  
  
back." Stupid me - Neville's so sensitive, I just can't be like that  
  
with him. He'll take it personally... Neville walked back to the bed.  
  
"Then there is something I can do?"  
  
"Not really. I'm just tired, that's all. Heh. No one can really be  
  
blamed for anything when they're tired, eh."  
  
"Nah." Neville smiled. "Well, sleep well." he said, returning to his  
  
own bed.  
  
"You too." Seamus called after him, but he doubted Neville had heard  
  
him. Oh well, he thought lying back on his bed, now I can finally try  
  
to settle down. Ha ha... You thought you'd lost me, didn't you? Damn.  
  
Sighing, he rolled onto his side. "It's going to be a loong night."  
  
***  
  
The next morning at breakfast, everyone seemed to be acting a little  
  
bit... chipper. It appeared that Dean looked somewhat tired, yet  
  
immensely happy, and, upon closer inspection, so did Hermione. Seamus  
  
didn't want to think about what had obviously happened, but instead  
  
thought about his devious plan to win Dean over. He smiled at the  
  
thought of it. His inner voice had actually helped him come up with it  
  
the night before, after they'd gotten over the fact that, without  
  
magic, there'd be no way for Seamus at all. At least the voice was  
  
good for something. If only it'd work... he thought chewing on a piece  
  
of blueberry pancake. Of course it'll work! I thought of it, now  
  
didn't I? All we need are the right ingredients, and then I'll guide  
  
you through it. Okay. Whatever.  
  
"Hey guys, where's Harry?" asked Ginny when she sat down at the table.  
  
"Oh, he went to see Dumbledore this morning. He said his scar was  
  
hurting lastnight." answered Ron. Dumbledore had instructed Harry to  
  
come to him if anything like this happened, and therefore, that's  
  
exactly where he was.  
  
"I wonder why.." said Hermione, her hand in Dean's.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, You-Know-Who's not here, is he?" said Dean, looking a  
  
ilttle unnerved. Ron glared at him.  
  
"Of course not, idiot. Don't be daft, he couldn't be." Ron was a  
  
little bitter at the thought that even though they'd been best friends  
  
for years, Hermione still chose Dean over him. "Dumbledore'd know.  
  
He'd do something. But he's up at the Head's Table, see?" he said,  
  
motioning towards the table at the front of the Great Hall. Evidently,  
  
Dumbledore wasn't there, and neither was McGonagal or Snape for that  
  
matte, but Ron covered himself quite well. "Uh... er... well, he's  
  
probably just gone out to, er... get doughnuts." Get doughnuts?!  
  
What's wrong with me? Can't I ever do something right? Grr...  
  
clearly, he was seething with frustration. Looking over at Hermione,  
  
he suddenly knew why. I'll never understand what she sees in him...  
  
***  
  
But Hermione was far from the minds of Professors McGonagal, Snape and  
  
Dumbledore at that moment. They had gathered in the staff lounge,  
  
which explained their absence at breakfast.  
  
"Harry came to me this morning to tell me that his scar was paining  
  
him lastnight. Now we all know what that means, don't we Severus.  
  
This would be what we call enough evidence." said Albus Dumbledore,  
  
eyeing Snape lightly. "However the cause of him pain is somewhat  
  
curious, as I have personally checked the castle and the grounds to  
  
ensure that Voldemort is nowhere to be seen or found."  
  
"But he may not be in human form, Albus." said McGonagal.  
  
"Yes, I'm aware of that, which is why I also performed numerous spirit  
  
detecting spells, which have also shown no trace of him whatsoever."  
  
"Unless of course, he's inhabiting a body, in which case he would be  
  
undetectable. He's done it before, using the bodies of animals. He  
  
could do it again jsut as easily." replied Sanpe knowingly.  
  
"Unfortunately, that is also true. So I suggest simply watching out  
  
for any strange behaviour in the students and other professors."  
  
"The other professors, Albus?"  
  
"Yes Minerva. We may be holding the culprit amongst our very ranks.  
  
We cannot have a repeat of what happened with Professor Quirrel." the  
  
old man sighed. " 'Twas such a shame, that. Such a pity..."  
  
"And what about Potter?" asked Snape. You could hear the edge in his  
  
voice when he said it.  
  
"I'll be keeping an eye on him, Severus, no need to worry about the  
  
boy." Dumbledore smile, his wrinkles deepening, but in a kind manner.  
  
"All right then. Off to breakfast, troops!" 


End file.
